Beauty is Skin Deep
by Polyester
Summary: Sorato! Yamato gets into an incident that makes Sora involved in a crippling pedestrian car accident. Four years have passed, and Yamato is now a superficial rockstar player that stumbles upon his crippled first love. His reaction is...? First Chapter up
1. Prologue

I hate people who drink and drive. The incident of one of my good friends inspired me to this story; she was one of the most beautiful people I have ever seen, but now she is confined and partially paralyzed to a wheel chair. Don't drink and drive. The person in the wheel chair could be you one day.  
  
***************  
  
Prologue: Yamato and Sora: 21 years of age.  
  
"Yamato!" Sora chimed as he opened the door. "Thank you so much for taking care of my hamster when I'm gone. You are such a sweetie." She beamed, planting a peck of a kiss on his rosy cheeks as she stepped in, carrying her hamster sitting in his home (Hamtaro?).  
  
"Obviously.." Yamato smiled, closing the door behind her. Sora set the hamster on an unoccupied table in his messy dorm. "Been writing more music?" She smiled, eyeing the scattered sheet music on the floor.  
  
"Yeah.." Yamato sighed. "The last record company I went to didn't like my music...that's the second one.." He trailed off.  
  
"Aw, it'll be okay. I like your music. Those idiots don't know good music if it slapped them in the face. I'm 100% positive the next one will turn you into a Rockstar Billionaire!" Sora smiled, hugging him from the back.  
  
"I'm not that good." Yamato chuckled, putting his hands over hers. "But that would be nice.." He brought her hands up to his lips and kissed them tenderly. Sora giggled.  
  
"Well, I have to go. The bus driver would love to leave me here if he had the chance." Sora sighed. Yamato turned around, his body slightly grew arched as he leaned over and nudged his lips softly against Sora's. Sora closed her eyes and smiled, accepting the start of his kiss. Yamato then pressed his lips a little more firmly against hers, as he too closed his eyes. Sora's soft lips moved synchronized against his as she nibbled gently on his bottom lip. She pushed away gently, breaking the kiss. Yamato, expressed in his cerulean eyes, wished to have moved further, but he understood that Sora had to go on the tennis tournament trip. "See you in three days." He smiled, wishing she would not go away. "Love ya."  
  
"I love you too." Sora replied back, reaching in the pocket of her dufflebag (Yes, it appears magically). She pulled out a delicate, white gold ring, a cerulean diamond proudly placed in the middle, and on the inner rim of the ring, the name ' Sora Takenouchi ' was etched. "It's my college ring. I know how much you will be missing me." Sora beamed as she teased playfully, handing it to him.  
  
"Wait." Yamato quickly thought, scrabbling over to his messy drawers, quickly pulling them out until he was satisfied with what he found. He pulled out his own ring, quickly going back to Sora and dropping it gently in her palms, his hands over hers as he delicately folded her fingers to her palm. Sora took it graciously, keeping it in a safe place as the greatest treasure she .. temporarily owned. "See you in three days.." She trailed off, heading towards the door. She looked back longingly, and finally headed out towards the door, closing it behind her.   
  
*******  
  
"Dammit. It's only been a couple of hours and I feel as though I lost her forever. I feel so depressed.." Yamato sighed to himself, etching music notes on the music lines. His phone rang, and he eagerly picked it up, hoping for Sora. He sighed, hearing a male's voice, not the delicate female one he hoped for. "Hey what's up man? You sound down. Want to go to the bar?" The voice asked. Yamato shrugged, knowing his friend couldn't see him. 'Sure, why not.' He thought. 'Maybe it'll get my mind off of Sora.' "I'll be over in a sec." Yamato replied, hanging up.  
  
*******  
  
"Is this the place?" Yamato asked, parking his silver car in the packed parking lot.   
  
"Yep! That's the one." His non-driving friend said, stepping out of the car. Two other friends had joined the 'carpool'. 'I guess it'll be fun. Heh, I guess I can put my new legalized drinking rights to use.' Yamato thought, joining his friends as they headed toward packed building.  
  
"This will be great!" His friend nudged Yamato, as they trotted coolly across the parking lot. "Man, what's the matter? I've seen that same sad expression for almost an hour now. Cheer up!"   
  
Yamato forced a smile, satisfying his caring friend. "Watch out for hangovers." He chuckled.  
  
*******  
  
Yamato woke up, his eyes seeing nothing but blurred colors. "I feel like someone's hit me over and over with a chair." He groaned, feeling aches and pain all over his body, and a splitting migraine. His eyes finally focused. "Oh..my.." Yamato blinked over and over in disbelief, shocked at the naked body on top of his. "Oh my fucking god!" Yamato exclaimed, gawking at the pair of large, silicone-implanted breasts pressed against his chest, with a heart tattoo on them. 'Oh my god. Oh my god.' Yamato thought over and over, trying to remember what happened yesterday at the bar. Nothing. "Oh my god.." Yamato was paralyzed in shock, trying to realize what exactly was going on. He pushed the unknown women over, not caring where she landed as she continued snoring. "Oh shit, what do I do?" He whispered to himself, as he messily clothed himself. To add to his luck, there was a ring of the doorbell. "Oh great.." He laughed to himself in disbelief. Closing the door with the snoozing women, he quickly headed towards the front door and swung it open. To his disbelief and shock it was Sora.  
  
"Hey there sexy!" Sora chimed, eyeing the pale Yamato as color drained his face. He was so shocked he said nothing. "Wow, -that- surprised to see me?" She giggled. "Yeah, our dumb bus broke down and while we were about to switch buses, a girl started having a heart attack, and the trip got postponed. Yeah, I know, it's horrible. She was rushed to the hospital, I hope she's okay.." Sora sighed. "She broke up with her boyfriend a couple of days ago also.. I wonder if you can have a heart attack from being emotionally hurt a lot.." Sora continued, but still Yamato was too shock to reply. "Hello? Yamato, are you there?"   
  
The unknown women stepped out in view, wearing a black thong and a seductive bra. "What's all this racket?" She complained, looking at Yamato, then eyeing Sora. "Who is -she-?" The young women shrieked, pointing angrily to Sora.  
  
"W-What?" Sora was baffled. "No, who are -you?!-" Sora's voice rose a little, hoping what she thought did not really happen.   
  
The unknown women continued angrily. "You bastard!" She screamed, slapping Yamato to his sense. "You told me you were single, brought me home, and in return, I gave you the night of your life! -THIS- is how you repay me? By seeing some monkey girl?!"   
  
Tears welled up in Sora's eyes. "No, it's not what you think!" Yamato finally blurted out, trying to redeem himself for getting so drunk that he brought a complete stranger home with him. Sora felt a mixture of hurt and anger, not knowing what to say or do. She stared hard and cold into Yamato's eyes, the expression of 'How could you?' laced around her brown eyes. Yamato reached for her, but Sora jerked back. "Y-Y-Yama.." She trailed off and took off running, tears flowing fast down her cheeks. "No! Sora wait!' Yamato hollered, chasing after her., but he eventually lost her in the tricky direction she ran in.  
  
Sora stopped, body bent, hands on her knees, panting and gasping for air and sobbing, all at the same time. She finally calmed down after a while, trying to rethink what had just happened. Suddenly, loud, sharp screeches of car brakes broke her thoughts, as the screeching drew nearer, as the car recklessly drove on and off the curves of the road, smashing into trashcans and mailboxes, creating chaos. The drunk driver spotted Sora, as her heart leaped with fear. She tried to move, but her legs were paralyzed with fear, her eyes widening as the headlights of the car got brighter and brighter.   
  
******  
  
Yamato sat on his old couch, feeling extreme guilt, his hands covering his face in shame. Tears dropped from his eyes and onto his unfinished music, stirring up the inky music notes, as he pondered on how to make Sora understand and forgive him. He sighed as his roommate stepped into the room. "Yamato, look! The news! A car accident a few minutes ago.." His friend exclaimed.  
  
*******  
  
(A couple of months later..)  
  
"Good morning Mrs. and Mr. Takenouchi." The doctor addressed Sora's parents formally and seriously.   
  
"Please, tell us how our daughter has been doing.." Sora's mom cried, her husband cradling her gently in his arms.   
  
"She's ... improving.." The doctor said uncomfortably. "I'm sorry to say that for her to walk again, she must go under very expensive, intensive treatment and surgery.."   
  
Sora's dad shook his head, wishing he could help his only child more, but a middle-class man could only provide so much finance for the care of one children. "If not for insurance, you'd be in an even worse situation.." The doctor sighed.   
  
Sora's dad, feeling helpless, asked for the price of the treatment. The greedy doctor beamed, hoping he would pay the price. "About $200,000 a year...not including plastic surgery to get your child to look the same again."   
  
"T-Thank you.." Sora's dad started to cry, feeling helpless as the doctor wheeled his poor daughter out in a wheelchair.  
  
"Mom! Dad!" Sora smiled, but the smile broke her parents' hurt furthermore. Sora sighed. "Let's go home.." She said. Her fingers curled and paralyzed, she was only able to use her knuckles to coax the wheels of the wheelchair to move. Her strong, tan legs were now limp, pale, and weak from the inability and lack of use. Her face, slightly mangled and deprived, while she suffered some brain damage and paralysis. Her parents followed silently behind her, as they eyed a wealthy family, their tubby kid humming happily with his leg propped up in a transitory cast, fingers gripping and pushing the button of the electric wheelchair, the chair obediently following every order.   
  
"That's it. We're moving out of this shitty town." Sora's dad blurted out angrily, helping his daughter into the old minivan, as he eyed the "Rival" family placing their spoiled kid into a brand new sports car. 


	2. Remembrances

Cars are such dangerous things. Yesterday, we almost got into a car accident. I don't know what happened, the car engine might of locked itself or something, then all the power turned off the car, the steering wheels were stuck and the brakes would not work. It was so freaky, luckily my dad was driving, if it was me, I would not be strong enough to force the steering wheel to turn. Well, then we turned into a neighborhood and stopped there. Ugh, technology.  
  
********  
  
Four years later..  
  
"I missed Odaiba so much." Sora breathed in the fresh, crisp air with a satisfied smile. After the accident, they had moved to Yokohama and left Tokyo. Since then, Sora had been receiving more attention from her parents, as they finally realized just how fragile someone can be. It was her wish to revisit Odaiba; four years is a decade in change's time.   
  
"Just be careful honey!" Mrs. Takenouchi worried.  
  
Sora sighed exhasperated. "I'll be fine, Mom. I'm 25, I think I can take care of myself. Even in the condition that I am in. I'll see you later, bye!" Sora said excitedly, her knuckles quickly pushing the edges of the rubber tires, moving herself past beautiful, elegant scenaries. After they moved, she always felt homesick for Odaiba. Now that she was finalyl back, even though transitory, her heart was at peace. She hoped to see familiar faces, and familiar places and buildings, for she did not know what was coming up and what reactions would be of friends and people that would recognize her old bright face in this new, disfigured one. Sora longed to go back in time where she would have given Yamato a chance to hear him out and avoided the car collision totally. But, you can't linger on the past, and it could have been worse. She could have been dead, or totally paralyzed, she thought, trying to look on the bright side. But some people would rather to be dead, than to live like the way Sora was living now. Sora sighed, wondering what her life would be like now if she had avoided the accident. Would she be married? Would she have kids? And what of Yamato?   
  
Sora stopped in front of a familiar bakery, her knuckles, now basically worn down to the bones from the constant friction between the wheels, skidded painfully the tires of the chair to a hault. "Frank Ma's bakery.." She whispered, recalling old memories. Feeling hungry and curious, she carefully entered into the shop. Having a little trouble with the door, a polite stranger helped her in and she thanked her graciously.  
  
INside, the scent of freshly baked patries and goods filled the little shop. Sora grabbed a pineapple bun off the shelf, the knuckles of both hands pressing the bun on both sides to keep it held up and she placed it on the counter. The shop was practically empty; Poor Mr. Ma and how he always struggled to keep up with competition. At one table, in the corner of the shop, sat a rowdy group. Three young men, each accompanied by the most gorgeous women Sora had even seen, conversed and laughed, having a good time. One of the young men caught her eye. He ran his hair through his soft blond hair occassionally, his cerulean eyes lit up as he laughed, his pearly white teeth showed under his bright pink lips when he smiled, and his slender but right muscular arm was around one of the gorgeous young women, that giggled and played with her long, flowing pink locks.   
  
The store clerk interuppted Sora and she quickly snapped her head back. "Oh, sorry, I was of in my own world." She laughed and apologized politely.   
  
"Oh, it's alright; yes, they are distracting but customers are customers. It's getting so hard to make a living nowadays.." The old man sighed. "I'm Mr. Ma. I'm so glad at least one of you youngsters have respect for their elders.."   
  
"Mr. Ma!" Sora exclaimed. "It's so nice to see you again! Don't you remember me?" Sora questioned eagerly. "It's me .. Sora. We moved four years ago after my.. accident.."  
  
"Sora!" Mr. Ma exclaimed, delighted. "I missed you so." He stepped from behind the counter and headed towards Sora, arms wide open.  
  
***********  
  
"Check out that old man, he's finally found someone that's perfect for him, that old geezer." One of the male friend's laughed, and the two others joined in with him, followed by the ditzy giggling of the girls.   
  
"If I was that girl, I'd kill myself. Look at her face. It's hideous! I would never venture to public like -that.- That's one of the many things I'm thankful for." One of the young women sighed relieved.   
  
**********  
  
"The pineapple bun is on the house." Mr. Ma said.  
  
"But, Mr. Ma..." Sora begin, eagerly fishing out a dollar bill. Mr. Ma refused once again, and Sora sighed. "Thank you.." She said uneasily. "It was nice seeing you again!" She smiled and rotated the direction of her wheelchair, her eyes aiming once again at the table. The blond-haired young man kept on catching her eye and bothering her. Mustering all her courage, she moved towards the table.  
  
*********  
  
"Um.. excuse me.." She asked timidly, her face turned towards the side, feeling so intimidated by their beauty. The conversation did not stop. She narrowed her eyes angrily, and looked the blond-haired young man straight in the face and repeated, "Excuse me." A little more forceful, articulate, and bold. The conversation stopped suddenly, all eyes on her.  
  
"Um.." She began, feeling a weird tug at her stomach. "Would you happen to be.. Yamato.. Ishida..? The table roared up in laughter, and Sora felt stupid.  
  
"Duh, where have -you- been?" One of the girls retorted.  
  
"Under a rock, obviously, hiding her face." The other girl answered, and they both giggled to themselves.  
  
"Hey!" Yamato interrupted. "Leave her alone." He said casually and easily, and his friends obeyed like dogs. "What is it, babe?" He answered Sora, his words burning far worse than napalm when he said 'babe,' whether sarcasm or of habit calling every girl that. "Wait, don't tell me." Yamato continued. "An autograph.. ." And his gorgeous eyes glanced over to the napkin container, and he gracefully pulled one out, grabbed a pen and fancilly scribbled his name.   
  
"And, who am I making this out to?" He asked.   
  
"..Sora.." Sora hesitated, her heart broken that he does not even see a familiar face. "Yamato... don't.. don't you remember me?"  
  
He made a weird face at her last comment, ignored it, and continued. "Sora huh? Okay.. There." He handed it to her, forcing Sora to show her gnarled, hands, and she saw some of the young womens' faces lit up in disgust when she did, feeling even worse about herself. She could not ask him if he remembered her, she just couldn't. After she took it obediately, and wheeled herself towards the door. One of Yamato's friends got up, grabbed the two handles of Sora's wheelchair, and pushed her, releashing his grip, but Sora was still moving in the direction of the push. Her head collided with the glass surface of the entrance/exit door, as the two back wheels of the chair popped up when she did, making her drop her pineapple bun and a something else... Sora looked back only to see them laughing, even Yamato, and Sora burst into tears. Mr. Ma caught sight of this, helped Sora out the door and forced and threantend them to leave. "I can't believe you would treat a sweet girl like that!" Mr. Ma exclaimed, enraged. "Get out before I call the police. OUT! Won't you even have a little sympathy? She was in a car accident that messed up her life four years ago, and you treat her like a sideshow freak! OUT!" Mr. Ma exclaimed, quickly heading towards the phone, the tip of his shoe shoveling that object that Sora dropped towards Yamato and he bent to pick it up.  
  
"Whatcha got there, Yamato?" One of the young women smiled, eyeing the ring, hoping he would give it to her. Yamato examined the ring, sensing some familiarity from the inanimate object. His eyes lit up in shock, as he jostled people as he made his way out of his seat, his friends shouting angrily as he shoved them aside, and he quickly ran out the door, searching for that girl in the wheelchair, but she was gone. Yamato took out another ring, hidden and treasured secretly, out of his pocket that had the name "Sora Takenouchi" enscribed under the band. "I remember.." He clutched the two rings, happily reunited, in his hands tightly. "Sora...." 


End file.
